Extension-table.



T. M. MCKEE,

EXTENSION TABLE. APFLICATlON FlLED JAN-6,1915.

1,251,257. Patented Da. 25,1%?.

THOMAS M. MC'KEE, OF CONNERSV'VILLE, INDIANA.

EXTENSION-TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented Dec. 25, 1917.

Application tiled January 6, 1915. Serial No. 862.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known tiiat I, THOMAS M. Molins, a citizen of the United States, residing at Connersville, in the county of Fayette and State of indiana, have invented a new and useful Extension-Table, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to tables of the type that is designed to be extended or contracted to different lengths, more especially when used in dining rooms; the invention having reference more particularly to supporting and guiding means for the movable end arts of the table, and means for controlling the adjustment of the end parts so that they shall always be in balance on opposite sides of the middle of the table structure.

An object of the invention is to provide improved guides and slides which shall be so constructed as to permit the table to be easily extended or contracted with the minimum amount of friction. Another object is to provide improved means for controlling the adjusting movements of the table, and without adding greatly to the cost of construction of extension tables. A still further object is to provide an improved eXtension table of such construction as to permit of the use of either a central pedestal or any suitable number of legs as may be desired, and which will be durable and economical in use.

lV ith the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in improved extension table construction embodying novel anti-frictional appliances and also novel equalizing appliances; the invention consisting further in the novel Parts, and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings Figure 1 is an elevation of an extension table having a non-dividing pedestal and constructed substantially in accordance with the invention, the table top being indicated by broke-n lines in extended position; Fig. 2 is an end view of the improved guide bar; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the improved slide and equaliziiig device connectcdthereto; Fig. 4 is an end view of the improved guide bar and slides provided with the equalizing device, the slides being shown in their relation to a fragment of the table top; Fig. 5 is an inverted plan of the table top extended and the invention applied thereto; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary top plan of the guide bar; Fig. 7 is a section of the guide bar in normal position on the line A A on Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a section of the guide bar A practical embodiment of the invention comprises a center `piece 1 which in some cases is fiXedly secured upon a pedestal or legf2 and supports a suitable number of guide bars, there being preferably two bars 3 and 3 which are substantially alike and may be either identically constructed or varied slightly as to equipment thereof so as to forni a pair of right and left guide bars. The bars preferably are provided with lagbolts t, 5, and et', 5', respectively, that are provided with wing nuts 6, 6', whereby the bars are removably secured to the center piece. It will be obvious that the guide bars may be provided with any suitable number of supports that may be preferred.

The guide bars are most economically composed of wood, and each one is grooved in its opposite vertical sides throughout the length thereof so that two recessed bearing walls 7 and 8 are formed and also two horizontal track bearings 9 and 10 and oppositely arranged guide bearings 11 and 12. The top of each guide bar is rabbeted along the two longer edges thereof whereby a central longitudinal guide rib 13 is formed on the top of the bar. The upper portion of each bar has recesses 1t and 14 in opposite end portions and in opposite sides respectively of the bar to receive guide rollers behind the planes of the bearing walls 7 and S respectively. A suitable number of track rails are provided which preferably are composed of sheet metal and bent to the required formation. ri`here are two track rails for each guide bar and they comprise base portions 15 and 15 that are seated against the walls 7 and 8 respectively and secured thereto by means oi screws 16, the rails having track portions 17 and 17 on the outer edges of which are guards or retaining flanges 18, 18", that extend upward and stiften the track portions. rhe upper edges ot' the base portions have horizontal guide portions 19 and 19 thereon respectively that extend horizontally above the track porti-ons and have downwardly extending guards 2O and 20 thereon respectively, the rails being designed to prevent the wheels from being displaced laterally therefrom while guiding the wheels. Guide rollers 21 and 21 are arranged in the recesses or each guide bar le and 14e respec tively on horizontal axles 2Q that are secured in the guide bars. rllhe periphery of each roller is slightly above the top of the guidebar adjacent to the Guide rib 13 to ailord bearings for the slides. Two slides are assembled on each guide bar and are composed of suitable metal, each being l..- shaped in cross-section. All the slides are substantially alike, or may be slightly varied in arrangement as illustrated so as to form right and left pair The two slides on the guide bar 8 comprise base portions :23 and Q4, those on the bar 3 c-omprising base portions 25 and 26 respectively. The base portions 23 and 24 are horizontal and have downwardly extending side bars 27 and 2S on opposite sides respectively of the guide bar 3. T he base portions 25 and 26 have side bars Q9 and 30 on opposite sides respectively of the guide bar 3. Two tabletop sections 31 and 32 may be variously constructed according to fancy and are identically formed and tted together, and one section is secured substantially to the base portions Q3 and 25 ot two of the slides, the other section being similarly secured to the base portions 2dr-'and 26 ot the remaining two slides. The top sections may include aprons 33 and 34e respectively or such frame structure as may be desired, as is obvious. All the slides project beyond the sections to which they are connected toward the opposite sections, and the projecting portion of one slide is provided with two .axles 35 and 36, the companion slide with similar axles 87 and 88, the slides assembled on the companion guide bar likewise having axles 35, 36 and 37", 38, respectively, the axles being ixedly secured to the side bars of the slides and extending toward the guide bars. The axles of one slide have suitable wheels or rollers 39 and 39 thereon re-V spectively that are supported on the track portion 17 of one rail, the axles of the remaining slides having Asimilar Wheels or rollers 40 thereon that are supported on the track portions of the adjacent rails.v

A suitable number of filling boards Lll and 42 are provided as usual for etecting the extension of the table top, the boards being supported upon the slides when in` serted in the required position to till the gap between the top sections when the latter are drawn apart.

The opposite ends of each guide bar have two horizontally arranged slots or recesses d3 and 43 respectively in which two grooved pulleys or sheaves la and 45 are respectively mounted, and an endless chain or cable 46 is mounted on the two pulleys or sheaves, a similar chain i6 being mounted 0n two similar pulleys or sheaves 4:4 and e5 with which the other of the two guide bars is provided. .Arn axle 47 of each pulley or sheave preferably is driven upward from the bottom into the wood of the guide bar. The two companion slides are provided with hook-bolts 18 and 49 having nuts 5() and 50 on their outer ends, the bolts extending through the side bars ot the respective slides and having hooks 51 and 5l respectively that engage the chain 46 on opposite sides of the guide bar 3, the other slides being similarly equipped with hook-bolts'lS and 49 connected with the chain 46. Preferably one top section is provided with a latch 52 adapted to engage a stud 53 with which the other top section is provided for holding the sections together. One end portion of each track rail is provided with a suitable stop 54 rwhich may be suitably composed of a screw inserted through the base portion of the track and into the wood of the guide bar, so as to be in the path of movement of the wheels on the track and prevent the wheels from being drawn away from the end of the track, the adjacent end of the slide having a hole 55 therein through which the screw may be removed when desired.

1n practical use, while moving each top sec# tion the base portions of its slides travel freely on the rollers 21, 21', to prevent the base portions or the top sections from rubbing or having frictional resistance on the end portions of the guide bars, while the wheelsor rollers of the slides roll in the track rails.A As each top section is moved either toward or from the companion section the chains or cables are caused to move on their guide pulleys or sheaves, so that both top sections must move together and vconsequently are always in balance. By this arrangement a sectional or two-part pedestal is not required when a central support is desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- Y 1. An extension table comprising a horizontal guide bar having a horizontal slot in each of the two opposite ends thereof, the bar having also a recess in each end thereof adjacent to the side of the bar, two guide rollers mounted in the recesses respectively,

two guide sheaves rotatably mounted in the slots respectively, an endless cable mounted on the sheaves, two track rails iixedly secured horizontally on the two opposite sides respectively of the guide bar, two slides arranged on opposite sides respectively of the guide bar, each slide having a fiat base portion and a depending side bar, the base portions of the slides being guided respectively on the two rollers, each side bar having two wheels mounted thereon that are guided by the adjacent track rail, two devices securing the said side bars respectively to the cable on opposite sides respectively of the guide bar, and two table tops ixedly secured to the base portions respectively of the slides.

2. An extension table comprising a horizontal guide bar having a slot in each ofthe two opposite ends thereof, the bar having also a recess in each end thereof adjacent the side thereof, the two opposite sides of the bar having each a groove extending horizontally and from which the recesses extend, two guide rollers mounted in the recesses respectively, two guide sheaves rotatably mounted in the slots respectively, an endless cable mounted on the sheaves, two track rails xedly secured in the two grooves respectively and having each a guard on its outer portion and also a guide on its upper portion, each guide having a guard thereon, two slides arranged on opposite sides respectively of the guide bar and guided respectively on the two rollers, each slide having two wheels mounted thereon that are guided by the adjacent track rail adjacent the guide and guards thereof, two devices securing the two slides respectively to the cable on opposite sides respectively of the guide bar, and two table tops xedly secured respectively to the two slides.

In testimony whereof, I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS M. MCKEE.

e Witnesses:

FRIEDA C. WEILEMANN, DAVID lV. MCKEE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patenti,

' Washington, D. C. 

